I Move the Stars for No One
by Dreamingcharlie
Summary: Three years after defeating the Labyrinth and on the evening of a very important night, Sarah meets someone that promises to change her life forever. Thus, she is once again brought to the place that has haunted her dreams for ages. Only this time, she is no longer safe and her life might very well be in danger.
1. Start of a dream

**Author's Note: **_**After telling myself not to, I have started another Labyrinth FanFiction, and only because I had a dream about Jareth and Sarah, and I think it was telling me to write this. This is currently being written in Starbucks while "Origin of Symmetry" by Muse and "Neon Bible" by Arcade Fire are blasting through my headphones. Let me tell you this, both are awesome albums! So my lovely faithful readers, please enjoy this experimentation and don't forget to review and tell me your thoughts and deepest desires. Labyrinth and all its original characters belong to Jim Henson, not me. However, there will be characters further along that belong to me, but that's it. Enjoy!**_

_"You have no power over me…"_

Those were the words that had torn his world apart; the words that had ripped out his heart. The Goblin King sat outside of her window in his owl form and watched as she celebrated her victory with the creatures of his Labyrinth, _his_ subjects. He had half a mind to throw them all in the Bog of Eternal Stench and then banish them from his kingdom, but all he could think of was how hurt she would be, and he knew that he couldn't. So, he sat and watched them, watched her mostly, and waited until the last creature disappeared from her room. His heart ached with jealousy and hurt when he saw the special goodbyes she gave to those three imbeciles, her _friends_ as she called them; how she gave them each long hugs and promises to call on them again. Then he waited until she got on her pajamas, yawning heavily, and until she had fallen deeply asleep. It didn't take long; she was probably exhausted from her journey. Then, he transformed into his true form and stole into her bedroom.

He stood over her bed and watched her sleep. Her face was sweet with innocence, the same innocence that had attracted him in the first place. That, and the way she believed that everything in the world was possible. There weren't many people like that in Aboveground anymore.

"My beautiful Champion," he said softly, stroking her face with a long, gloved finger. "You should have been my Queen. My Sarah, don't you realize the danger you've put yourself in? Don't you realize that this is the last time I can come to you freely? I'll never be able to see you unless you call me, and I won't be able to protect you anymore." His heart filled with rage and fear, all mixed in with the harsh, fiery, and passionate love he felt for her. "I can't protect you," he whispered once more and without even thinking, he leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. She stirred, but didn't wake.

He quickly turned away from her before he could do something foolish. He turned once more to gaze upon her, startled when he saw that there were tears on her face. For a second he thought that she had awoken, but he quickly realized that the tears weren't her own. For the first time in hundreds of years, Jareth cried. He closed his eyes, and in the smallest puff of wind, he was gone.

And Sarah was alone.

_**Nearly three years later…**_

"For never was there a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo."

The last words of Shakespeare's most famous play were met with a most thunderous applause from the full auditorium. Backstage, Julia Callan, the frantic stage manager bustled about nervously. "Curtain calls everyone, come on, line up! Sarah, you and Jon come in last, since you two are the stars of the show. Let's go people, we don't have all day!"

Sarah Williams chuckled as she stood at the end of the crowd of actors and actresses. Poor Julia; any second she was going to tip over from stress. She jumped when someone took her hand and kissed it. She turned around to see the male lead and her very best friend with his head thrown back and an arrogant expression on his face.

"Hey babe," he said in a low voice that made her giggle. "Come away with me and let's defy our parents and get married. How about it?"

"I am sorry dear sir," she said in a sweet, girly voice. "You see, I've just stabbed myself with my poisoned lover's dagger over sorrow for a love that was lost."

"That's right," he said, putting on a deep look of surprise. "I forgot; I seem to be dead too, because I'm an impulsive, short-minded teenager that can't stop and think things through."

Sarah opened her mouth to respond but was stopped by Julia who beckoned and hissed at them to get on stage. Jon grinned, took her hand, and they both walked onto the brightly lit stage, met with the overwhelming sound of admiring applause. They both bowed and smiled at the frantic audience. Sarah nearly cried when they were met with a standing ovation. Jon grinned and hugged her tightly. "You did great, my fair Juliet," he whispered in her ear as the curtain closed once more.

"So did you, my dashing Romeo." Sarah pulled from his embrace and smiled. "Shall we go meet our fans?" He nodded and together they made their way to the lobby of the auditorium, chatting about the success of the play.

She'd finally done it," Sarah thought to herself. She'd finally achieved her dream of acting in something other than a school play, even if it was only a production by her local theatre company. She was stunned when she'd learned that she was to play the lead of Juliet, and delighted when she found out that Jon was Romeo. Ever since she had met him at Theatre Club, they had been best friends.

In the lobby, she was immediately met by her father's warm embrace. "You were amazing," he whispered in her ear. "You looked so beautiful up on that stage." He pulled back and smiled at her, even though his eyes swam with tears. "I just wish Karen and Toby could've been here to see you."

"Oh Daddy," she cried and threw her arms around his neck. She buried her face in his shirt which muffled her voice. "I miss them so much."

"So do I Sarah." About a year and a half ago, Karen and Toby had been coming back from a visit to Karen's sister when their car had gone off a bridge over a deep, dangerous river. When the rescuers pulled the car out of the water, they had been devastated to find that both of the bodies were missing. Try as they could, no one had been able to find Karen and Toby, so Sarah and her dad were forced to have a funeral with no coffins. It still hurt them dearly, especially Sarah who had just begun to develop a special relationship with her stepmother and half-brother.

"Alright now," her dad said bravely, pulling away and wiping his face. "Let's not mess up your stage makeup. Here, I got you these."

He produced a small bouquet of white roses with a beautiful red rose in the center and handed them to Sarah, who blushed. "They're beautiful, Daddy," she said, inhaling the sweet smell of the flowers. "Thank you."

Now it was Robert's turn to blush. "I was only going to get you the white roses because I know you love them most, but the florist gave me the red one for free to celebrate your performance. She told me it was her best bloom yet, and that I should give you her congratulations.

"I'll have to give her my thanks," Sarah said softly. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jon beckoning to her. "Look, I have to go. I'll be home later; the cast is having a celebration tonight. Thanks again for coming."

She gave her dad a quick kiss on the cheek and quickly went to Jon who informed her that they were to have their picture taken for the paper. Her heart fluttered as they posed for the photographer. This was the beginning of her dream come true; maybe it could actually happen after all. After greeting the last of the people that had come to see them, she and Jon were finally free to change.

The dressing was empty by the time she got there and Sarah marveled at the peacefulness of the quiet. She observed herself in the full-length mirror. Her costume was a mediaeval-style dress with a tight waist, floor-length skirt, and long sleeves that puffed at her wrists. The bodice was a soft red embroidered with silver and the skirt was a deeper, fiery red. It was made of soft velvet and incredibly comfortable. Her long dark hair had been curled into tight coils and was pulled away from her face. Reluctantly, Sarah changed into her dark jeans, grey long-sleeved shirt, and black Chuck-Taylors. Just like that, she changed from the magnificent, love-struck Juliet to ordinary, normal Sarah Williams. She laughed bitterly at the normal part; she was far from normal. Her thoughts switched to that one night, three years ago when she was a bitter fifteen year old that had called on the goblins…

"No." She told herself firmly. "Don't even think about it." She was notgoing to ruin this perfect evening with thinking about _him_. It had been nearly three years since she had defeated the Labyrinth and gotten Toby back (she swallowed painfully) and she hadn't heard a single peep from the Goblin King, thank god. She still talked to Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus, her three faithful friends, at least twice a week, but the subject of _him_ was practically forbidden. She never said his name and she didn't make wishes anymore in fear of _him_ popping back into her life and taking everything away from her for good. She still had dreams, oh yes, she still dreamed about that damn ballroom and the song he had sung to her while they danced…

"Stop it," she scolded herself. She forced her thoughts to taking care of her costume and never was a stage dress put on a hanger so carefully. She gathered up the rest of her things and turned to put them in her bag on the counter, but stopped when she was that a huge vase of flowers had been placed beside her bag. "Odd," she muttered. "I never noticed that when I walked in."

She shrugged; she was probably too wrapped up in her thoughts to even notice. She shoved her things in the bag. Then she opened up the card that was attached to the vase. It read:

_To Ms. Sarah Elizabeth Williams,_

_Your performance tonight was absolutely stunning and you made a very beautiful Juliet._

_~Best wishes, M & J_

She frowned as she finished reading the short note. She had no idea who M & J were. The flowers were beautiful; a mixture of different dark red and white flowers. It was magnificent and beautiful and Sarah couldn't stop admiring it. It occurred to her that M & J was probably Jon and his girlfriend, Mary. She had to remember to thank him later.

Sarah left her things in the dressing room and made her way to the small ballroom in the theatre where the cast party was taking place. The building was mostly dark now that the audience had left and Sarah shivered as she made her way downstairs to the ballroom. It was eerily quiet and she was convinced that someone was following her, even though it was probably just her overexcited mind's way of telling her that it was tired.

At the party she looked for Jon, but he was nowhere to be found. Finally, after asking Julia, she found out that he had gone home early to celebrate with his grandparents that had come from out of town. Sarah thanked Julia for being an excellent stage manager and after talking with her for a few more minutes she decided to go home. She was exhausted and needed sleep to prepare for tomorrow's show. She practically ran back to the empty dressing room to grab her things. She shrugged on a light jacket, grabbed her bag in one hand and her roses and vase of flowers in the other, turned around to leave, and cried out in surprise.

Her heart skipped a beat and she grew so lightheaded that she feared she might faint. She gripped her roses so hard that some of the stems snapped and told herself to keep breathing, keep breathing. She was terrified. For there, leaning against the doorway of the dressing room with a large, arrogant smile on his face was, well, _him_.

_**Don't forget to review!**_


	2. Unexpected visitors

**Author's Note: **_** I have to say, I was very pleased at the responses I got from people, all in the very first chapter. Thank you to those that have reviewed, and even to those that have bothered to take the time and read this. So, my dad and I have been canning peaches lately and all I can think about is the Goblin King and a crystal ballroom. Think he'll take me next? As usual, I own none of the original "Labyrinth" characters; enjoy, and please review. Alas, the suspense is lifted!**_

"HOGGLE!"

Poor Hoggle jumped about a foot in the air as Jareth's angry call ran through the castle. He immediately dropped the jewel he was observing and ran to meet the Goblin King, maneuvering through the other goblins running in the opposite direction. He slid into the throne room, completely out of breath, and gaped when he saw that Jareth was sitting in his throne in the complete dark.

"Er," he said hesitantly. "Yer majesty? Why are ya sitting in the dark?" He gulped as Jareth lit up a crystal and held it to his face. He looked utterly outraged and Hoggle instinctively cowered against the wall.

"Hoggle." It was normally a bad sign when Jareth called Hoggle by his real name, and poor Hoggle had half a mind to run out of the throne room and never come back. Suddenly, Jareth stood and threw the crystal as hard as he could at a stone wall. Hoggle gulped and ducked as another crystal was lit.

"I don't understand," Jareth burst out suddenly, crumpling into his throne. "I hate this Hoggle. I hate that I can't protect to her! Why did she have to say those damn words? All I wanted was her; just to have her in my castle would've been enough." He threw another crystal with an angry growl and then dropped his head in his hands.

Hoggle knew who he was talking about immediately and he didn't really like how upset Jareth was getting over Sarah. Then his eyes flickered to a bottle on the floor by Jareth's throne and he groaned. "Yer majesty, have you been drinkin' that stuff again?"

Jareth lifted his head and shot a look at the bottle and then glared at Hoggle. "So what if I have? It's impossible for Fae to get drunk on goblin wine."

"Right," Hoggle said slowly. "Forgive me for saying this yer majesty, but just 'cause you can't get drunk doesn't mean you don't get, well, angry." He cowered even more when Jareth looked up at him with nearly black eyes.

"Angry," he said softly, nearly whispering. "You're right Hoggle, I am angry. I'm very angry! I'm angry at everyone; at you for being her friend, at her for being so incredibly strong-willed, at this damn Labyrinth for not putting up a stronger fight, and at _myself_ Hoggle! I'm so upset with myself that I didn't try hard enough; if I'd only tried harder, or said something different, then she would be safe! She'd be safe from everything, safe with me, safe from the danger…" He dropped his head back in his hands and suddenly began to weep.

Hoggle could only stare. Never, not in his whole entire service to the Goblin King, not even after three and a half bottles of goblin wine, had Hoggle seen his king cry. He slowly approached the throne and hesitantly touched Jareth's shoulder. When Jareth didn't immediately vaporize him, he awkwardly patted it. "Er, there, there," he said, wondering how in the world he had ended up in this position. "What danger do you feel you have to protect her from?"

"The greatest one," Jareth whispered. "It's getting closer to her in every passing moment. I have to protect her from _him_."

(((((((((())))))))))

Sarah could only stare as her mind frantically scrambled to find words. "I- _you_," she stuttered as her vision swam in front of her.

"I'm sorry?"

Sarah blinked and gasped in relief as she saw that it wasn't actually _him_. "Oh god," she said quickly. "I am so sorry; I thought you were someone I knew." She shook her head to clear. "I think I just really need to go to sleep."

"Well," the man said pleasantly. "After a performance like tonights, I don't blame you. You're acting is outstanding, Sarah Williams."

"Thank you." He didn't even have an accent, she thought to herself, studying him with interest. And on second thought, he hardly even looked like the Goblin King. His hair was a darker blonde and cut just below his chin. Sure, it was wild, but he looked more like a member of a band than the leader of some mystical kingdom. His eyes were a brown so dark they looked nearly black. Sure, they both had the same sort of thin, crooked nose, but this man was obviously not the King of the Goblins.

"Ms. Williams?" He looked at her with slight confusion. Sarah shook her head again and told herself not to be an idiot.

"Sorry?"

He smiled. "I asked if you enjoyed the flowers I sent you."

She looked down at the face in her hand. "Oh, you're M & J? Or one of them, I suppose. And yes, I thought they were very beautiful."

"Good," he said, sounding happy. His smile grew even wider and Sarah couldn't help but feel a warm feeling in her chest. He had such a lovely smile. "My name is Malum," he said, holding out his hand. "So that makes me M."

She shook it and gasped when she felt how cold his hands were. "You're fingers are like ice," she said in surprise.

He shrugged. "My family is cursed with bad circulation in our fingers, so we usually wear gloves."

"Oh," she said, staring at his hands. "Well, thank you again for the flowers."

He smiled and her heart fluttered, much to her dismay. "You're very welcome Ms. Sarah. I must say I was really looking forward to your performance tonight. My brother was too, but I'm afraid he was preoccupied tonight and couldn't make it."

For some reason, his words mesmerized Sarah, even if they were just small talk. It must be his eyes, she decided. They looked straight into hers, as if seeing her very core. "You have a brother?"

He chuckled. "Yes, my younger brother. We used to be very close, but I'm afraid that's not the case anymore. I hardly have the chance to see him." He cast his eyes downward and Sarah flinched when she saw how sad they looked.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. His sorrow made her heart ache, even if she hardly knew him. "I used to love spending time with my little brother, but then he-" The words got stuck in her throat as she thought about Toby and she looked at the wall to avoid his gaze. She paled when her eyes settled on the clock and she saw the time.

"Oh no," she moaned. "I'm really sorry, but I have to start walking home. I need to sleep or I might tip over and actually die tomorrow. It was really nice talking to you, and thank you again for the flowers and for coming."

He frowned. "It's awfully late to be walking. Would you like me to give you a ride?"

For a split second, Sarah was about to consent to his offer. But she remembered what Karen always used to tell her and she shook her head. "It's alright; it's only a few blocks." _Never, ever except a ride from a stranger Sarah._

"If you insist," he said softly. "Just be safe; it would be a shame for this town to lose such a pretty face as yours."

Sarah's face blushed as red as her costume and something told her it was time to leave. "Thank you. It was very nice to meet you, Malum." She blushed even deeper as he took her hand and kissed it. Thanking him again, Sarah quickly left the building, trying to ignore the odd feeling she felt as his eyes followed her.

When she stepped outside into the refreshing evening air of autumn, Sarah released a breath she hadn't even known she was holding. She looked down at the hand he had kissed and shuddered. His lips had burned, but not hotly. They were like ice; colder than his hands. She hadn't realized it in the dressing room, but Malum freaked her out just a little. Sarah laughed bitterly for no real reason as she made her way down the sidewalk to her house.

"I'm home," she called to her father when she pushed open the door. The house was practically dark so she assumed her father was already asleep. Sarah walked straight to her room, dropped her bag on a chair, put her flowers on her dresser, and wearily collapsed on her bed. She let her thoughts wander and dozed.

Then, the loud hoot of an owl sent her straight upright in bed. She flew to her open window and quickly slammed it shut with all of her might. "You're being silly," she scolded herself, but she was definitely not taking chances with any damn owls tonight. Sarah quickly took off her stage makeup, got her pajamas on, and once again collapsed onto her bed. Within minutes, she was asleep.

(((((((((())))))))))

"You were wonderful, as usual Sarah. Thanks for such an awesome show!"

Julia's arms wrapped around Sarah and squeezed her tight. Sarah returned her hug and thanked her for being an amazing stage-manager. The last show had just finished, her costume was hung up and ready to go back into storage, and all of the friends she had made had been thanked, hugged, and congratulated. Sarah was ready to go home and just relax.

She smiled at everybody as she walked out the door of the lobby and into the afternoon air. Thankfully, Malum hadn't shown up again in the dressing room to talk to her, although a tiny, tiny part of her wished that he had. No matter how many times she scolded herself, Sarah often found herself day-dreaming about his face. There was just something about him…

"Sarah," she growled and then quickly looked around to ensure that no one had witnessed her moment of insanity. Thankfully, the sidewalk was empty and Sarah's mental health was safe. She brushed the crazy curls in her hair out of her eyes and thought about how much she missed her normal hair. She knew most curls wished for curly hair, but she personally enjoyed her just-wavy locks.

She hummed idly to herself as she walked through the front door to her house. She didn't bother calling out; her father was at a meeting for the day and was planning on going out drinking with his friends in the evening. Sarah didn't mind; personally she thought it was a good thing that her dad was starting to go back to his old ways. Maybe they were both starting to slowly heal from the loss of Karen and Toby.

She dreamily made her way to the kitchen, planning on looking for a vase to put _another _bouquet of flowers in. "I swear," she muttered to herself. "This house is going to smell like roses until the day I die in it." She really didn't plan on dying in this house; Sarah had her own dreams that she wanted to fulfill, and most didn't involve staying in her childhood home.

She added a little sashay to the song she was humming as she walked into the kitchen, but she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw that the light in the dining room was on. "I turned that off," she said to herself. "I know I turned that off." Someone was in her house.

Sarah summoned up all of her courage, took a deep breath, and slowly stepped into the dining room. She froze when she saw the woman sitting at the dark maple table, drinking a bottle of sparkling water. At first glance, a stranger may have thought he/she was seeing two Sarah Williams, when in all reality there were two different women. For one thing, one was older, although she hardly looked a day older thirty-eight, and she had a stronger chin than the younger. They both shared the same, luxuriously wavy dark locks, but the older had eyes that were the color of honey, while the younger's eyes were a mixture of grey and green.

The woman looked up at Sarah and for a second, her face was a mixture of shock, sorrow, and fear. Then the woman carefully composed herself as only an actress can do and flashed a beautiful smile. "Sarah," she purred, standing up. "I've missed you."

Sarah felt her eyes prick with hot tears as she gazed upon the woman that had broken her heart ten years ago. Her mind was numb with shock and she didn't know what to do. But then, Sarah found words; even if it was only one.

"Mom."


	3. The power of friendship

**Author's Note: **_**What a crazy world we live in! It's been forever since I posted last and I'm blaming that on the restart of the public school systems in my state. I've been writing this chapter in my study hall (one that I didn't sign up for), after finishing my Algebra II/Trig homework, which my teacher seems to assign **__**every freaking day**__**. So, I sort of based the return of Linda Williams on the return of Isobel in Elaina's life (yes, I have to admit that I'm addicted to "The Vampire Diaries," which is something I'm sort of ashamed of). As always, I own nothing except for the obvious things I do own (the things that aren't from the original movie), please leave generous reviews, and enjoy!**_

"Hoggle!" Jareth frantically paced in front of his throne, waiting for that imp of a dwarf to come. Personally, he had no idea why Sarah had decided to befriend those three creatures, but they had a special link to her that, unfortunately, he did not. So, he would put up with the imbeciles if it meant he could keep his Champion safe.

The dwarf skidded into the empty room panting and out of breath. "Yer majesty," he stammered and Jareth scoffed at his fear. He wasn't _that_ horrible of a leader; there had been worse in his time that had tried to rule the Labyrinth. His mind darkened as he thought of one in particular. Hoggle looked up at him expectedly and Jareth through in a glare for good measure.

"Higgbum," he demanded, ignoring the dwarf's attempts to say his right name. "I understand that you and the other two creatures have been visiting with Lady Sarah. "And don't try and lie to me," he warned as Hoggle started to protest. "I know these things. Don't worry; I don't plan on bogging you, for now at least."

"Ya- ya don't?" The surprise on the dwarf's face was so obvious that Jareth had to laugh.

"No, I don't. But I need you to give this to her when you see her next, which I know will be soon." He held out a gloved hand which had been empty, but now held the necklace he's so carefully constructed.

Hoggle stared. "Wha- what is it?"

"It's a present Higgle." Jareth sighed, collapsing onto his throne.

The dwarf shot him a suspicious glare. "It won't harm her, will it? You know I won't harm her; not again."

"The last time hardly did any harm to her," Jareth growled, and Hoggle cowered at the fire in his eyes. "That damn peach didn't even work on her; she's too strong." He sat back and rubbed his temples, trying his best not to think of the old memories. "No," he said, much more calmly. "It won't bring any harm to her. In fact it's going to protect her, which is something you and I both want. She'd better get this, or I'll forbid you from ever seeing her again." The threat was empty; he wouldn't actually hurt Sarah like that.

Hoggle seemed to know that as he glared up at Jareth and took the necklace. "She's not going to take it if she knows it's from you. She doesn't trust you."

Jareth winced. That definitely cut right into his heart. "Well then Hoggle, I suggest you don't tell her it's from me. Just make sure she wears it. I know you care about her, and I know you want her to be safe."

Hoggle looked at the necklace with interest. "How does this work anyways? You can't use your magic on her unless she asks for it, so how can you protect her?"

"It's not my magic that will be used in that charm; it's the Labyrinth's."

That sure got the dwarf's attention. Hoggle looked up at him with wide eyes. "The Labyrinth's? But how-"

Jareth snarled. It wasn't enough to protect her, no matter how powerful the Labyrinth was. Its magic could only work at its true, powerful potential if Sarah was safe within it, which she wasn't. If only she wasn't so stubborn; if only she would realize that he only wanted to keep her safe. "Just make sure she puts it on Hoggle, or you'll face the consequences." The dwarf's ugly face paled as he tucked the charm in his pouch and quickly fled from the room.

Jareth flew from his chair and prowled over to the window. He produced a worthless crystal and clenched it so hard that it shattered to pieces. He watched the sun sink over his kingdom, imagining a dark-haired beauty fighting her way to his castle. The Labyrinth had done its best to produce obstacles to keep her within its walls, but it had underestimated her strength and she had battled through them all.

"My Sarah," he whispered as he reflected on the painful memories. "The Labyrinth knows what's best, even if you don't."

(((((((((())))))))))

"Mom."

Sarah stared at the still-beautiful face of Linda Williams and wondered how in the hell that woman could just stand there and smile like everything was well in the world. The emotions raging inside of her mixed together like a huge stew, but the only thing she really felt was numb.

Linda frowned. "Sarah, are you alright? You're very pale."

Sarah gripped the back of a chair so hard that it creaked in protest. "No, I'm _not_ alright! I- how the hell did you even get in here?"

Linda sighed and sat back down. "Your father isn't very creative with his hiding places; he never has been. The spare key is still taped underneath the mailbox, where it's been for the last twenty years he's lived here. I'm surprised that he didn't move it when I left."

The way she said 'since I left' so casually, as if she didn't have a care in the world, was what really pissed Sarah off. Without another word, she turned around and walked away. She heard the chair scrape as Linda made to follow her.

"Sarah, honey where are you going?"

"To my room," she snarled, spinning to face Linda. "I'm going to take a long, hot shower and I'm going to lock my door and push something heavy in front of it. Then I'm going to wait until you leave and hide the key somewhere else so you'll never be able to find it again."

The way she bit her strained lip was the only sign that Linda was upset. "Darling, honestly, is this any way to treat a guest, especially your own mother?"

"You are NOT my mother!" Sarah dug her nails so hard into her palms that she pierced the skin. "You haven't my mother for ten years, and you are most certainly not a guest in this house!" She was ashamed when she felt hot tears spilling down her cheeks, but she knew they were more from anger than anything.

Linda's face took on a sympathetic, soothing look that Sarah could immediately tell was fake. She was an actress too; she knew how to tell the difference from real and pretend. "Sarah," Linda murmured, reaching out as if to wrap her arms around her daughter.

"Don't touch me," Sarah snarled. "You aren't fit to play that role anymore. Just tell me; why are you here?"

Linda frowned and looked away, tracing the kitchen counter with a long, perfectly manicured fingertip. "I always thought this color was ugly; I thought it too old-fashioned. Your father loved it though and refused to change it." She peeked back up at Sarah and smiled weakly, even though her beautiful eyes were filled with remorse. "I came to see you act," she said softly. "I wanted to see my pumpkin's big debut, see her as the beautiful star I knew she'd turn out to be."

Sarah swallowed the hard lump in her throat and turned away. "It's been ten years. _Ten._ I woke up one morning to find that the mother I adored so much ran away into the night. The only thing you ever sent us was divorce papers. I used to have nightmares about you being dead, before I stopped caring at all."

Linda came up behind her and gently touched her shoulder. "Sarah," she breathed when her hand wasn't thrown off. "I know you won't believe me, but I _did_ think about you. You'll always be my little star. I'm still your mother."

"No." Sarah threw off her hand and turned to face her, looking straight into her eyes. "No, you aren't. Karen was more of a mother than you, and now she's gone too. I want you to leave. That shouldn't be too hard for you." Linda pursed her lips and looked away, leaving Sarah the winner of the stare-down.

"Fine," she said, all of the sweetness gone. "However, I want to ask you to meet me tomorrow at the Luna Café. I know you must have questions and I promise to answer them all. I'll give you my number." She produced a pen and a slip of paper from out of her purse and wrote down a number, leaving it on the counter. "Please, Sarah." Her voice was pleading now. "Give me a chance to talk to you. Besides, if you truly have half of my gene pool, there's no way you'll be able to resist a cup of coffee." Linda turned to around and grabbed her jacket from on top of the kitchen table. "Oh, I forgot to mention how wonderful your performance was. You made a better Juliet than I did when I first played the part." She shot one last glance at Sarah and left without another word.

Sarah waited until she heard the front door slam shut before bursting into tears and stumbling up the stairs to her bedroom. She collapsed into the chair in front of her vanity and looked into the mirror. "Hoggle," she stammered. "Ludo, Sir Didymus, I _need_ you." Barely a second passed when Sarah turned around and flung herself into Ludo's warm embrace. She sobbed into his soft fur while his big gentle arms came around her and held her tight.

"Sawah sad," he said, sounding hurt himself.

"Yes," she replied, her voice muffled in his fur. "I'm very sad."

"My lady!" Sir Didymus' voice rang from behind her. "Whatever is the matter?"

After a few seconds, Sarah pulled away from Ludo and forced a brave smile at him. "Thanks for comforting me buddy," she said softly, feeling a little better when he returned her smile. She turned to Hoggle and Sir Didymus, who watched her with nervous anticipation.

"Sorry," she said, doing the best to wipe the wetness from her face. "Thanks for coming so quickly."

Hoggle looked up at her with worry. "Sarah, is something the matter?"

She laughed bitterly. "You could say that, I suppose. My mother came back today."

"What?" All three of her friends gaped at her in astonishment. Sarah had told them Linda's story one night; of how her mother had disappeared in the night without telling her good bye or sending a note of any kind. Sarah had ripped all of the pictures of Linda from the walls after returning from her journey to save Toby. Realizing that her fairy-tale mother wasn't coming back to get her was another way she had changed in the Labyrinth.

"Yes," she confirmed, looking at the floor. "She just showed up at the dining room table and hardly seemed to notice that ten years have passed. I don't think she even cared at all."

"My lady," Sir Didymus said loudly, which was the best comforting voice he could offer. "If you need me to fight her off, I would do it willingly. You know give my life to you in a heartbeat." He finished with a flurry bow. Hoggle rolled his eyes, but Sarah had to laugh, even if it was a bit dryly.

"Thank you Didymus, but I don't think that's the best solution." She collapsed onto her bed and turned her eyes to Hoggle, the one she could talk to the most. "She wants me to meet her tomorrow. She says she wants to talk with me. What should I do?"

Hoggle came over and sat beside her. "What do ya want to do?"

She sighed. "I don't know. I do want her answers, but I'm not sure I'm ready to talk to her yet. I'm so confused!" She buried her head in her hands, but she didn't cry.

Hoggle patted her on the shoulder with his slightly clumsy hands and gave her a few moments of silence. "I think you should decide. She's yer mother, and I can't make the choice for you."

"Thank you," she said quietly. "Thanks, all of you, for being my friends." Ludo and Sir Didymus smiled, thankful that she was back to normal again. They chattered on about their days and such while Sarah smiled and pretended to listen with all of her attention. Hoggle watched her closely, knowing that she wasn't alright yet.

After an hour of aimless chatter, Sarah was actually starting to feel a little better. Sir Didymus proclaimed that it was getting late and that he and Ludo really needed to be heading back to the Bog of Eternal Stench. He kissed Sarah's hand bowed again, promising that he would fight to the death for her well-being, should she but ask. Ludo gave her another bear hug and Sarah basked in his sweetness.

"My dear Hoggle," Didymus said, ready to disappear after Ludo into the mirror. "Are you coming?"

"I'm coming," Hoggle said, staying beside Sarah. "I'll be there in a few." Sir Didymus nodded and was gone.

Sarah offered a weak smile at Hoggle, who looked up at her. "I wanted to give ya somethin' before I left," he said, reaching into his pouch of jewels. Sarah watched in anticipation. It wasn't every day that he gave up one of his precious jewels. "Here," he said, and she held out her hand.

Sarah gasped in delight at the necklace he placed in her hands. It was a tiny crystal ball wrapped in silver vines, strung on a delicate silver chain. The crystal shimmered as it caught the light from her room, glowing soft colors of blue, silver, and violet. "Hoggle," she said breathlessly. "It's beautiful. Where did you get this?"

"Er, I found it," he said. "I thought you would like it."

"I do," she said in awe, not able to take her eyes off of the jewel. "I love it." It reminded her of something, she realized dimly, but she wasn't sure what.

"Sarah," Hoggle said in a low, serious voice. "Just promise you'll wear it, okay? Wear it, for me."

"Of course," she said, surprised at the fierce way his eyes glinted. "I don't know if I'll be able to take it off." She clasped the necklace around her neck and let it settle on her breast bone.

"Then don't take it off," Hoggle said in a voice so quiet that she barely heard him. She was about to question his meaning when his eyes darted to the mirror and he jumped off the bed. "I gotta go," he said quickly. "The others are waiting." He was just about to disappear into the mirror when he turned back to her. "Sarah, about yer mum, do what ya think's best." Then he was gone, leaving Sarah with a goodbye on her lips.

She sighed and stared at her reflection in the mirror from across the room. The necklace shimmered brightly against her skin, but she tore her eyes away from its beauty and sighed again. She knew what she had to do.

Downstairs, she found the slip of paper with the hastily-scrawled number on it. She picked up the phone and dialed the number without thinking, before she could change her mind. The phone rang twice and was then answered by a sweet, collected voice. Sarah took a deep breath.

"Alright, I'll meet with you."


	4. Twisted coffee dates

**Author's Note: **_**After much slaving, torment and a huge gap between my last update, I've finished another chapter for you to enjoy (even after last chapter's lack of reviews). So, please enjoy this interesting bit of plot, remember that I own nothing but my ideas and original characters, and REVIEW!**_

"You FOOL!"

Linda Williams cowered in fright as he flung a dark orb at the wall behind her. She covered her head as it exploded into a thousand pieces, showering her with black, burning embers. "I'm sorry," she whispered fearfully.

He flew at her, pressing her to the wall. She was forced to look into his black eyes, trembling when she was how they burned with anger. "You were supposed to go to her," he growled in a dangerously low voice. "You were ordered to go to her as her long-lost mother, showering her with remorse. You were supposed to comfort her and get her to trust you. You _failed_."

"I'm sorry; I'm so sorry!" Linda cried out when he suddenly struck her across the face. "She's going to meet me," she wailed. "She trusts me enough; please don't!" She whimpered when he hit her again, even though he used less force.

"Remember what I've done for you," he snapped, forcing her to look into his smoldering black eyes. "I've given you everything, asking for hardly anything in return. I can take it all away in an instant, leaving you with nothing. Remember that."

"She trusts me," Linda whispered. "I'm her mother; eventually she'll trust me enough to listen."

"Make sure that happens, otherwise I _will_ ruin you." Linda whimpered again when he placed his hands on her cheeks. She knew he was going to heal the would-be-bruises, leaving no trace of an assault. She shuddered when he leaned in and whispered in her ear. "You were very lucky that I'm in a good mood today, my dear Linda. Very lucky."

Then he was gone and Linda Williams collapsed to the floor in a fit of tears. What had she done, she wondered helplessly. What had she gotten herself into?

(((((((((())))))))))

Sarah hummed idly to herself as she stood in front of her mirror, preparing herself for her visit with her mother. Her eye caught a picture of herself with a young Toby and she swallowed the painful lump that formed in her throat at the memories. The picture had been taken a few months after her journey to save him from the fate of becoming a goblin; she held him in her arms while both of their eyes sparkled with laughter. She studied the picture for a moment, and then tipped the frame down so she wouldn't have to look at the sweet expression on her baby brother's face.

She sure had changed a lot in the last three years, she thought to herself as she turned back to her reflection. Her face had lost all of its baby fat and was now more defined. Her hair had gotten a few shades darker, making her skin even more creamy white. And for her figure; well, she was definitely more 'womanly' now. It was odd, she mused; three years ago she had been a selfish, spoiled bratty teenager, but in a few weeks, she would be reaching the age of adulthood. So much had happened in her life over the years.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and observed herself in the mirror. She wore a dark navy blue sweater that hugged her frame and made her eyes seem more green than grey. She kept her hair long, leaving it in its natural waves. She was about to grab her jacket when she suddenly remembered the present Hoggle had given her. She fetched the necklace from her jewelry box and held it in her hand, studying it. The crystal shimmered, entrancing her with its beauty. It made her uneasy for some reason, but she remembered the desperate look in Hoggle's eyes as he begged her to wear it, so she fastened it around her neck.

She buttoned on her jacket and made her way downstairs, turning lights off as she went. At the front door she stopped and paused, wondering why in the world she had agreed to meet with her mother. However, she couldn't back down now, no matter how much she wanted to.

"Well," she said, heaving a sigh. "Come on feet; it's finally time to get some answers."

She shivered as she stepped outside and locked her door. The autumn air was beginning to grow cooler as winter approached; something that Sarah wasn't looking forward to. She already longed for spring and thoughts of her favorite season filled her head as she made her way down the sidewalk.

The Luna Café wasn't far from her house, giving Sarah the perfect amount of time to enjoy the walk. Still, she wished she could walk for hours more as she stood outside the door to the café, if only to calm her mind and rehearse what she wanted to say. She took a deep breath and forced her face to be cool and collected. Then she pushed open the door and prepared herself for the day she had longed for.

It only took her a brief scan of the fairly-small place before she located her mother, seated in the far corner. Linda was dressed casually in dark skinny jeans and a grey blouse with her hair piled on top of her head, but she still shone brightly like a lone candle in a dark cave. Sarah gritted her teeth when she saw the longing looks of envy her mother was receiving from all of the occupants in the room.

The café was warm, so Sarah shrugged off her jacket before reluctantly making her way to her mother. She weaved in and out of the tables and approached the counter, smiling cheerfully at Dan, the owner and full-time barista of the place.

"Why hello," he said when he spotted her. "That'll be one medium hazelnut latte coming up for our very own Sarah Williams."

"You know me so well," she said with a laugh, forgetting for just a moment why she was here. "I'll be sitting in the back today, by the fireplace." Dan nodded and proceeded to make her coffee. Sarah turned away from the counter and ran smack-dab into the person waiting in line behind her.

"Oh my," she said in surprise. "I am _so _sorry; I didn't even realize you were there!"

"Don't worry," the woman said, laughing sweetly. "I should've warned you that I was here." Sarah was immediately dazzled by her beauty. She had dark honey-blonde hair that fell to her waist in wild curls. Her face was pale and her features slanted; her eyes the most vivid, bright blue.

Something in the woman's face flickered, as if she were about to frown. "What a beautiful necklace," she said in a soft, awed voice. "Wherever did you get it?"

Sarah's hand reached up and touched the chain, as if remembering that she wore the tiny pendant around her neck. "A friend gave it to me." Something in the woman's expression made her uneasy and she had the urge to tuck the necklace into her shirt and out of sight.

Then the woman smiled and all uneasy thoughts were forgotten. "Well," she said, flashing a pearly-white smile. "It's very lovely. Enjoy your afternoon!"

Sarah thanked her and walked away, all traces of a smile sliding off her face as she saw her mother sitting at the table, examining her perfect fingernails. Linda's beauty was nothing compared to the other woman's, but she was still dazzling. She sat down in the chair without a word while Linda flashed a smile.

"Sarah," she purred in a sickly-sweet voice that made her want to vomit. "I can't begin to tell you how thrilled I was last night when I received your call."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Can we skip this part, please? I really just want to get straight to the point so that I can go home."

Linda's smile became more fixed and her honey eyes darkened. Sarah frowned when she noticed the dark circles beneath her eyelids; it was odd, her mother was usually and expert at covering up all blemishes with the perfect amount of makeup. Today it looked as if she had been in too much of a hurry to notice, which was something that rarely happened with Linda.

"Fine," her mother said in a curt voice, waking Sarah up from her observations and musings. "I know you have questions to ask me and I'm pretty positive I know what you're going to ask first, so I'll save you the hassle and answer it." She sighed and leaned back a little in her chair, starring down at the grains in the wood of the table.

"Sarah, the reason why I left is simple; I just didn't love your father anymore. I hardly knew him at all when he proposed and, being the spontaneous person that I am, I accepted without thinking twice. Marrying your father was a mistake. It was a life I never really wanted."

She was interrupted by Dan, who had come to deliver Sarah's coffee, along with a double chocolate muffin, one of the café's specialties. "I know how much you love these," he explained eagerly at Sarah's questioning glance. "This one's on the house in thanks for inviting me to your show." He looked like he was about to say more, but upon noticing the tension between the two woman, he quickly left.

Sarah picked at the muffin, but she could hardly swallow it as she digested Linda's words. "So," she said in a choked voice. "You're saying that everything you had with my father was a mistake?"

"No Sarah," her mother said, reaching her white hand across and touching the tips of Sarah's fingers. "Robert and I didn't truly love each other, but not everything we had was a mistake. _You_ aren't a mistake; I loved you so much, and I still do."

She didn't pull her hand away, even though a part of her wanted to turn her back on her mother. "Then why didn't you tell me you were leaving? Mom, you never even told me goodbye."

"I did," her mother whispered. "It was late at night when I came into your room to tell you I was leaving. You were sleeping and you looked so peaceful, and I just couldn't force myself to wake you. I know I should have, and I'm sorry for that."

As she noticed how close Linda looked to crying, Sarah couldn't say a word. Faking tears was something neither she nor her mother had learned to master in acting; neither of them wanted people to see that they were capable of crying. In that moment, a tiny bit of Sarah began to forgive her mother. "It's alright," she said softly, looking down. "Where were you all of these years? I looked; you were hardly in the news at all."

Linda looked away as two faint spots of color rose in her cheeks. "I met someone," she muttered so quietly that Sarah barely caught the words. "Our relationship isn't very romantic, although I thought it was at first, but he has been helping me achieve goals that I never thought I could achieve."

"You paint me in such a good light, my dear Linda. I'm sure if Sarah knew the truth, she'd think differently."

Her mother froze and turned ghastly pale at the cold, malicious voice that came from behind Sarah. She was about to turn around and confront the speaker, when she felt a gloved hand clutch her shoulder with a painful grip. "If I were you," he whispered in her ear, "I would be very careful how I proceeded."

"Malum," she hissed through gritted teeth as she recognized the bone-chilling voice.

"Very good," he said, and she shuddered when she felt his breath against her ear. "Now, you're going to stand up and walk to the alley behind this café, or I'll kill everyone here with this fancy crystal I hold in my hand. You may stand up and turn around now, but do it slowly."

Linda only looked at her with fearful eyes as Sarah slowly stood up and turned around to face him, clenching her fists at her side. As promised, Malum stood close behind her, holding a half-concealed black crystal in his hand. He smirked at her, and she was immediately hit with a memory of another crystal being offered to her years ago. "Go on," he said, inclining his head in the direction of the alley. "Linda, you'll follow with me."

Sarah swallowed her feelings of fear and hatred as she stiffly walked towards the door. On her way out, she thought she caught the eye of the pretty blonde woman, but she blinked and the woman was nowhere to be found. The minute she was in the entrance to the alley, Malum flew at her and pressed her against the wall.

"Very good," he said mockingly. "You're a lot better at following orders than I thought."

"What do you want with me," she spat. "How are you connected to the Underworld?"

He grinned wickedly. "Why, I believe you've met my brother already. You see, you're the only person in all of history to defeat the Labyrinth, which makes me very, very curious. Not to mention the fact that my brother still pines for you, annoyingly enough."

Sarah opened her mouth to respond with an angry retort, but he slammed her head against the brick wall, causing stars to dance before her eyes. Behind Malum, Linda screamed. "Stop! You promised me you weren't going to hurt her!"

"There's been a change of plans," Malum snarled. "I'm not sure I can count on you anymore, my dear Linda."

Sarah's head swam with a mixture of emotions and pain. "What are you going to do with me?" Her voice came out in a weak whisper.

He chuckled. "My dear, I'm taking you back to the Underground, where you and I are going to spend some quality time together." Then, as Linda whimpered in the background, he placed a black-gloved hand over Sarah's forehead and muttered a word beneath his breath.

Sarah Williams knew no more.


	5. Revealed Horrors

**Author's Note: **_**First of all, I beg your forgiveness for the gap between updates! I've spent the last few months planning/writing a novel for NaNoWriMo (I didn't finish, but I'm working on that). It was probably a horrible thing to leave off with a cliffhanger (For reference: Sarah gets betrayed by Linda and taken by Malum). But, I have pounded out another chapter and would really appreciate your comments/reviews/insights. Please leave a hearty contribution in the little box! Also, I don't own anything except for my own original characters, which you should all know by now. Enjoy!**_

Jareth felt someone different had entered his castle before the Labyrinth warned him about the change. He felt the magic in the castle courtyard shift, setting him on edge. He prepared his reflexes for the worst and slowly turned around to face the intruder. He nearly dropped the attack crystal he held in his hands when he immediately recognized his face.

"Jareth!" The beautiful woman before him smiled widely and in the next heartbeat through her arms around his neck. Her honey-blonde curls tickled his face, but he hardly cared. "My brother," she cried in his ear, her voice sounding like the sweetest music.

"Mariella?" He pulled back from the older sister he had not seen in centuries, the one that swore she wouldn't be returning to the Labyrinth after Malum's betrayal. "Oh Mari, is that really you?"

She nodded and laughed, all while tears streamed down her pale cheeks from her blue eyes. Her uncanny resemblance to Malum set him on edge, but he reminded himself that she had been born his twin and she couldn't help it. Then he remembered her heart-wrenching promise and he frowned. "I know you can feel how overjoyed I am to see you, but I must ask this. Why have you come back?"

Mariella's face darkened and she stared off into the distance. "Jareth, something's happening. A while ago a sensed a change in our brother's heart, something that made his magic even darker. I followed him into the mortal world, up to Aboveground and what he's doing frightened me."

Then she frowned and her expression grew scolding. "What are you doing handing out the Labyrinth's protection to mortals? I know Malum can't access the Labyrinth's magic, but it still bothers me that the girl he took yesterday was wearing one of your protection charms."

Jareth felt the breath leave him entirely as his sister's words stabbed him like an arrow through the heart. "What did you say?" A young girl with gray-green eyes flashed through his mind, along with a mental image of the protection charm he had given her.

His sister's abilities to feel every emotion of those around her picked up his pain and she gasped, clutching at her heart. "You know her?" she asked in surprise. Jareth only held out his hand for her to take, allowing her to feel every memory he had of Sarah. Fresh tears filled her eyes as she felt his anguish.

"No." Mari's horrified whisper danced around his ears as he tried to clear his head of Sarah. "The rumors are true then. She's the one that managed to defeat the Labyrinth? Jareth, if Malum has her…" She trailed off as the possibilities of what could happen filled them both.

"We can't let this happen." Jareth conjured a crystal and tried to access the magic that powered the charm, but cursed aloud and threw the crystal against the ground, where it shattered. "Damn girl, she's blocking the Labyrinth entirely!"

He sank into his throne and clutched at his wild hair, not bothering to hide his tears from his sister. "Mari I have to get her back. If not, Malum will destroy her. I won't survive that."

His sister knelt in front of him, taking his gloved hands in her own tiny fingers. "She has your heart," Mari whispered and he nodded, confirming her words. Mari gasped and her blue eyes widened. "I'll help you brother," she swore. "We'll get her back."

(((((((((())))))))))

Sarah woke from cold water being splashed gently in her face. She sputtered in surprise and opened her eyes. For a terrible second, she feared she had gone blind (everything was black), but in a few more moments her eyes adjusted to the near-darkness and she found herself lying on the floor of some sort of prison cell made of stone. Her eyes focused on a pale, feminine face framed with ratted blond hair. The woman stared down at her with tears in her sapphire-blue eyes, and in another moment of panic, Sarah recognized her. "Karen," she whispered struggling to sit up.

Her step-mother let out a strangled sob. "Sarah," she cried, helping her into an upright position. "You shouldn't be here."

Sarah's mind reeled, possibly from dizziness, and she leaned against a damp stone wall. "But, you're _dead_. You went over the bridge!"

Karen solemnly shook her head. "That isn't what really happened; it was set up to seem like we went over the bridge, when in all reality, _he_ took us."

Sarah gulped. "You mean-"

"She means me." Malum's icy voice slithered through the air, filling the cell and sending shivers down Sarah's spine. He stood over Karen, illuminating the cell with pale light from a dark crystal. "I sent your step-mother's car flying off the bridge, while they ended up here instead of the icy depths of the river. Didn't you ever wonder why they never found the bodies?"

Malum trailed his black-gloved fingers over the top of Karen's head. She flinched, tucking her head into her chest and causing him to sneer. Malum slinked around her and knelt down to Sarah, holding the crystal to her face. Sarah refused to look away from his black gaze, although the way his eyes searched hers made her sick to her stomach.

"You're much too brave," he said in a frightening whisper. Something in his eyes changed, and Sarah couldn't bear to look at him anymore. Her eyes fell to the ground and her dark hair shielded her face.

All she could think about now was how her mother had just stood back and watched her in the alley. It was just another betrayal. "What do you want with me?"

She gasped when Malum grabbed her by the chin and forced her to look up at him. His touch was like ice, if not colder. "You're the only one in the history of time that has ever defeated the Labyrinth. Not to mention the fact that you managed to nearly destroy my brother in the process. Let's just say, I'm curious for now."

She trembled as he brushed his fingers across her cheek, but all she could think about was his comment about the Goblin King. The potential of his wrath frightened her almost more than Malum did. As if sensing her thoughts, Malum growled and pushed her backwards, causing her to slam her head on the wall. Karen whimpered beside her.

Malum stood up in a rush, which made his black robes whip across her face. "I'll be back later," he said coldly. "I have some things that need to be taken care of." And with a slam of the door, they were plunged back into near-darkness and he was gone.

Karen collapsed into a heap the minute he was gone and burst into tears. Sarah threw her arms around her stepmother, still trying to make sense of her being alive. "I'm sorry," Karen sobbed into Sarah's shoulder. "I hate him Sarah. I do."

Sarah rocked her as one might do to a small child and made soft shushing noises. Her throat constricted when she remembered how Linda used to comfort her this way when she was very young. Tears filled her own eyes and she tried to push the memory of her mother standing behind Malum in the ally.

After Karen grew quiet, Sarah pushed back from her and looked into her stepmother's eyes that were too large for her thin face. "Karen," she said softly, forcing her voice to be steady. "You have to tell me what's going on. Why did Malum take you?"

"He thought I was your mother," Karen replied in a whisper. "Your biological mother, I mean. He told me about you wishing Toby away and how you fought to get him back."

Guilt filled Sarah when she remembered the night she had wished away Toby to the goblins. She had never told her parents about it. If she had, they most likely would've made her talk to a doctor in fear that she was crazy. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "That was my biggest mistake."

"You got him back Sarah." Karen's voice was stronger now and she reached out to take her hand. "That's all that matters to me right now. I didn't believe Malum at first when he told me all of this. I thought I was in some sort of coma from the car accident, but as time passed by, I knew this was real. Your father wouldn't keep me in a coma for long."

"I still don't understand. Why did Malum want you in the first place?"

Karen's face grew troubled. "He thinks you have some sort of power," she murmured. "He says you're the only one that's ever beaten the Goblin King's maze and he wanted to find the source of your power. When he found out I wasn't your blood relation, he locked me away in here."

Bile filled Sarah's throat at the thought of her stepmother being locked in this dark cell for over a year. She had no idea how Karen had managed to survive. Then, as she pondered what Malum had told Karen, she felt even sicker when she was hit with a horrible thought. Karen may not be her blood relation, but her half-brother…

"Karen," she whispered. "Where's Toby?"

Her stepmother let out a sob and buried her face into her hands. "He took him," she cried, weeping loudly. "Malum took him before he put me here. He said that Toby had been exposed to a lot of magic in the Labyrinth and it made him suitable for what Malum needed." She shuddered and pulled her hands away, looking at Sarah with a desolate face. "Malum's done something to him," she said in a deadly whisper. "Something terrible. Sarah, he's not my little Toby anymore."

Sarah stared at her in horror, wondering what Malum could've possibly done to poor Toby. He had been exposed to magic… she gasped in horror when she realized that it was her fault that Toby had gone to the Labyrinth. If she hadn't wished him away…

She stood up so quickly that her head spun, but she ignored the feeling and went to the metal door of the cell. She pounded on it hard, ignoring the pain that shot through her fist. "Malum!" she screamed loudly. "I know you can hear me! Bring me Toby!"

"What are you doing?" Karen gasped, standing beside her and clutching her shoulder with a feeble grip.

"It's my fault," she replied through gritted teeth. "It's my fault that Toby was exposed to magic, and it's my fault that Malum took him. I need to see what he did to him." She shrugged off Karen's touch and continued to pound on the door.

Unexpectedly, the door flew open, throwing Sarah backwards. She hit the ground hard and all of the air whooshed out of her, leaving her breathless. The next thing she knew, Malum hauled her up painfully by her elbows and shoved her against the door.

"Who do you think you are," he spat into her face, but she refused to be swayed by him. "You do not have the ability to summon me whenever you feel like it and demand whatever you want!"

"Apparently I do," she snapped back. "Otherwise you wouldn't be here."

Karen cried out when Malum's hand slapped her, leaving Sarah's ears ringing. "Don't you dare speak to me that way," he murmured dangerously, moving his face so close that his breath tickled her face. "You may have gained power over my brother, but I don't belong to the magic that bonds him to the Labyrinth and I can do whatever I want to you."

His hand snaked up and touched her on the nose almost playfully, but his eyes were dark and dangerous. Fear trickled through Sarah's mind, but she didn't let it bother her. "I want to you see Toby," she demanded stubbornly. "Show him to me, or I'll call your brother here, right now."

Without warning, Malum's hand clasped around her throat, making her stutter. He laughed; a cold sound that snaked around her and made her shiver. Behind him, Karen leaned against a wall of the cell and buried her face in her hands.

"Go ahead," Malum said with a dark chuckle. "Do you really think he would come to your side? And if he did, do you honestly believe that he would help you? My brother has a wild temper Miss Sarah Williams. In fact, it's almost worse than mine. And I know how terribly upset he was when you defeated him after he tried so hard to keep you away. Imagine how he would react if you even dared to call upon his goblins."

The blood drained from her face and terror gripped her. An evil smile slowly grew on Malum's face as he saw her reaction. "Can it be?" he asked mockingly. "I've found something that you're afraid of. Maybe I should call him here myself and let him deal with you."

"I'm not stupid," she spat, glaring at him in hatred. "We'll both be in trouble if you bring him here."

"Watch yourself," he growled, tightening his grip on her neck. "There are worse things I could do to you than locking you up here." He suddenly released her and Sarah slumped to the ground, rubbing her neck. In the next instant, he hauled her up painfully by the elbow and dragged her to the door.

"I'll take you to your half-brother." He opened the door and shoved her through, keeping a tight hold on her arm. "We'll leave your stepmother here." Sarah could still here Karen weeping after he slammed the door shut and she ached for the poor woman.

Malum flicked his hand at her face and before she could even think about it, a blindfold covered her eyes, obscuring her vision. "I don't want you getting any ideas of escape," he explained in a silky voice that was full of danger. Keeping his iron grip on her arm, he pulled her down through unseen corridors.

Worries and insane thoughts flashed through her mind as she followed him submissively. She tried to think about would he could possibly have done to Toby to upset Karen so much. The thought of her baby brother being alive nearly brought her to tears and she almost didn't want to know what had happened to him. _But they're alive, Sarah. At least be happy about that. They're both alive._

After what seemed like lifetimes, Malum brought her to a halt and opened a door, pushing her through it. He touched a finger to the back of her head (even in that small touch, she could feel the cold of his fingers), which removed the cover over her eyes. She blinked rapidly to adjust to the new lighting; a mixture of darkness with an eerie red glow.

They were in a large room that seemed to be someone's living quarters. There were chairs, a table, and a bed in the corner, all covered in different shades of red and a dark black. On the far side of the room was a floor-length window with black curtains. At first, Sarah didn't notice the figure that stood in front of the window, but he turned to face them when they came through the door.

He was clothed in black pants and a silver tunic. His pale complexion contrasted with the bold colors of the room. His hair was a white-blonde that framed his face and fell to his chin in soft waves. He clasped his hands behind his back and approached them, and Sarah could see that he seemed to be in his teens, possibly around the same age as her. Shivers went down her spine when he regarded them with cool, black eyes.

She angrily turned to Malum, wondering if he had tricked her. "What does this have to do with my brother?" she snarled.

His ice-cold laugh echoed around the room and he smiled wickedly at her. "You haven't figured it out? And I thought you had some intelligence in you!" He placed his hands on her shoulders and spun her around to face the boy. "Take a closer look my dear," he murmured in her ear. "Can't you see?"

The boy watched them coolly, not saying a word. Sarah did as she was told and upon looking at his face, realized who he was. She cried out and nearly collapsed into a heap on the floor.

"What have you done to him?" she demanded Malum, her voice cracking from unshed tears. "Why is like this?"

She turned back to the boy, to_ her brother_, and held back a sob. It hadn't even been two years and yet here he was, grown into a teenager. She could see the resemblance now; the paleness of his hair, the way the shape of his face still held a bit of angelic roundness. The only thing missing was his sweet baby-blue eyes. "Toby," she choked out. "Oh _Toby_."

Her baby brother only watched her, not even seeming surprised at her revelation. In fact, not a single emotion could be found on his face or in his dark eyes. Sarah pressed her hands over her mouth, too numb with shock to even think properly.

"I've changed him," Malum said gleefully in her ear. "I've created him into someone I can use. He's mine now Sarah. All mine. And soon, you will join him."

With a snap of his fingers, the blindfold covered her eyes once again. She tried push away from him, but he held her back with ease, despite her desperate struggles. Even though she couldn't see a thing, one image burned brightly in her mind. All she could see was her baby brother, her Toby, now a puppet of such an evil man.

Sarah stopped struggling and allowed Malum to bring her back to what she assumed was the cell with Karen. She didn't make a single attempt to stop the tears that fell madly from her eyes.


End file.
